Well, here's another story that comes completely out of left
field. Last week, we received the rather odd news that Eric
Schmidt is stepping down as CEO of Google despite that fact that the
company is still rolling in money. Today, an equally baffling announcement came
from Intel -- the company revealed that it hired musical artist will.i.am as
its new Director of Creative Innovation.

Will.i.am is better known as a member of the popular music group
The Black Eyed Peas, but he will
now be lending his "talents" to Intel. Will.i.am has signed a
multi-year deal with Intel and even has his own Intel ID badge according to
Intel's press release.

“Nearly everything I do involves processors and computers,
and when I see an Intel chip I think of all the creative minds involved that
help to amplify my own creativity,” said will.i.am. “Teaming up with the
scientists, researchers and computer programmers at Intel to collaborate and
co-develop new ways to communicate, create, inform and entertain is going to be
amazing.”

“We’re thrilled to tap into the limitless creativity
will.i.am brings to the table," exclaimed Intel CMO Deborah Conrad.
"He’s not only a brilliant artist and producer, but also an innovator pushing
the bounds of technology professionally and personally."

While it's hard for us to picture what exactly will.i.am
brings to the table when it comes to designing microprocessors, Intel assures
us that the musician will lend a helping hand in the development of notebooks,
tablet computers, and smartphones.

“Our partnership with will.i.am is a prime example of how we
want to convey and deliver the Intel experience, Conrad continued. "It’s
imperative that Intel and our innovations are kept in front of the global youth
culture that embraces new devices and new forms of communication and
entertainment.”

I think that the next battle field that Intel is entering is the low power, mobile one. Not just Atom powered netbooks, but tablets and probably mobile phones too. Those sorts of devices are going to be aimed at the young, as well as business, but they are currently being powered by Arm, who are starting to be a little more of a nuisance.

Intel has the business sector pretty much sewn up, as much as a company can in a 2 horse (Intel/AMD) race anyway. If they want to make a splash in the youth oriented, facebook on the move etc smart-phone and tablet market, then I guess someone came up with this idea I suppose.

That would make perfect sense if those netbooks, tablets, and mobile phones were Intel branded. It's hard for me to imagine Intel doing that, but maybe that's what they intend to do. I'm sure Will.i.am didn't come cheap, so there has to be a reason.

I think it's more than mobile phones and tablets, they also were talking about personal gaming devices like PSPs. But by the sound of the hire, the music industry - I'm curious if will.i.am has any copyrighted music or technology that Intel would also be interested in and wants access to.

Regardless, AMD announced that they were targeting low-powered market, like slot machines and casino games, perhaps this is Intel's answer to it.

Many devices and PCs are Intel branded. Have you missed all the "Intel inside" adverts that have been running for years and years and the stickers all over your laptops, netbooks and PCs?

I wouldn't be surprised if Intel were to make more Apple like/inspired adverts (with loud music blaring, people dancing etc) in the near future advertising the low power, mobile devices that are available with "Intel inside". Probably featuring music and appearances by...

At least, that's my best guess.

Personally, I think that William has a bloody good agent (possibly a Sith Lord) who can negotiate pretty good deals (he's been on shows in the UK too, for some reason) for this apparently talentless chancer, even when there's no obvious reason for it, or even if their is, he brings nothing to he program.